1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mattress and a stone bed having the mattress and, more particularly, to a mattress which has a material beneficial to humans and is a kind of mat to be used in a state of being spread on a support surface, and a stone bed having the mattress.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, mattresses are manufactured by thickly filling straw, cotton wool, hair or elastic materials in an outside fabric. The mattresses allow users to lie down or sit on them.
In particular, functional electric mattresses execute several functions, such as heating, massage and anion-radiating functions, using power sources for home use (110/220V, 60 Hz) to meet the convenience of the users.
Electric floor mats, mattresses for stone beds and elastic mattresses are representative examples of the above-mentioned functional electric mattresses.
Conventional functional electric mattresses use wood, such as oak, typically used in beds as mattress frames in functional electric mattresses such as those proposed in Korean Registration No. 391374, entitled ‘MATTRESS-INTEGRAL STONE BED’, and Korean Application No. 2003-27251, entitled ‘MATTRESS’, which were filed by the inventor of the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of conventional mattress-integral stone beds.
As shown in FIG. 1, in conventional mattress-integral stone bed 1, a mattress body 20 is fastened in a mounting seat 15 of a mattress support 14 having an opening by coupling a stopper provided on an outer surface of the mattress body 20 to a stop groove formed on an inner surface of the mounting seat 15.
The mattress-integral stone bed 1 has a construction similar to those of typical beds. That is, the mattress-integral stone bed 1 includes a plurality of support legs 16 and a headboard 11 having a cushion, as do typical beds.
Each of the mattress support 14, the support legs 16 and the headboard 11 is covered with a covering material typical for beds, such as wood or leather, for graceful and dignified ornamentation of the mattress-integral stone bed 1.
Furthermore, the mattress body 20, mounted in the mattress-integral stone bed 1, has a temperature control part on a predetermined portion thereof near where a user's head is placed when the user lies on the mattress body 20 or the mattress-integral stone bed 1. A plurality of temperature control units 12 and 13 is provided in the temperature control part.
The temperature control units 12 and 13 supply external power to first and second independent electro-heating plates connected to a power supply circuit, respectively, thus independently controlling the temperature of the left and right halves of the mattress body 20.
The mattress body 20 may be manufactured as a single body. Alternatively, in consideration of manufacturing costs, the mattress body 20 may comprise a plurality of plate units 22 and 23, such as slates, which are placed on predetermined portions of an upper surface of the mattress-integral stone bed 1 other than a frame part 21.
However, an upper surface of the mattress body 20 comprising the planar plate units is very planar and sleek. Accordingly, due to the slippery upper surface, an old or feeble person or child may be exposed to safety hazards.
Furthermore, because the mattress body 20 includes the plate units, such as slates, on the upper surface thereof, the product is perceived as cold by the user. Thus, the user may not feel a sense of closeness to the product.
In addition, in the mattress-integral stone bed 1 with the mattress body 20, because a user's skin is in surface contact with the upper surface of the planar plate units, ventilation is poor. As well, in the case that an old or feeble person or child contacts the planar plate units for several hours, skin trouble may occur on the old and feeble person or child.
Moreover, due to the warm appearance of the stone bed, users may hesitate to use the mattress-integral stone bed 1 in the summer. In addition, because the mattress-integral stone bed 1 seems unexciting to the users due to the simple arrangement of the planar plate units, the mattress-integral stone bed 1 is problematic in that the product may not arouse the customers' interest.